Need to install air suspension dump valve

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by sapo_trucker, Feb 18, 2014.

  1. sapo_trucker

    sapo_trucker Bobtail Member

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    Aug 5, 2013
    Texas Hill Country
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    We just got an '07 385 Pete dump truck with air ride suspension. We've had trucks with air ride in the past but they all had a dump valve on the dash which comes in very handy when needing to dump material in off level situations. This new truck does not have a suspension dump switch and I'm trying to find out how big of a pain this would be to put in. I have dealt with air ride on hot rod cars in the past and am very familiar with them and thought I could just rig up an electric valve/ solenoid with a toggle switch on the dash. The problem is I'm not sure how the factory dump valves work. The best that I can tell is the factory dump valves on the dash are not an electric toggle controlling an electric valve/ solenoid but a manual dump valve with air line. An issue I foresee is that the truck may still try to fill the bags while the valve that I have installed is letting the air out at the same time, so air would be constantly flowing out and draining the air tanks.
    Do the dash panels just pop out or is there a tip I need to know? I see no screws...
    Thanks for the help!
     
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  3. Pablo-UA

    Pablo-UA Road Train Member

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    u can use ABS solenoid from JY.
     
  4. bowtieboy77

    bowtieboy77 Light Load Member

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    Aug 16, 2013
    Southern, Ontario
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    What I have seen done and theres a couple differant ways to do it. You could install a electric controled pilot valve that will be hooked into your leveling valve. You could hook the wires up to the pto engage light so when pto is engaged it activates the pilot valve and starts dumping air you will have to run a fused ign power to pilot valve and ground wire through pto indicator switch as this is a ground control on pto indicator light.. Or you could get a air controlled pilot valve hooked in to leveling valve and tie sensing air line in to your Pto air feed same idea as the electric. Third option for auto dump would be air controlled pilot valve hooked into leveling valve but hook the control air line into your hoist lever. The above ways will be automatic driver does'nt have to remember to throw a switch it will start dumping suspension automatically whenever pto or hoist is engaged depending on how you chose to hook it up. If you use a pilot valve you wont have to worry about air loss as the pilot valve will block the air supply to the leveling valve and open a port to allow air in suspension to be dumped out. I had to install a similar system in to our three axle float only I chose a manual push button valve mounted at rear of trailer by becon switch just for simplicity not for auto dump option.
     
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  5. JohnP3

    JohnP3 Road Train Member

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    We use to install a dump system in Freightliner cab overs, it worked off the back-up switch, as some drivers could not control the clutch with the air-ride cab bouncing we used a solinoid electric over air on the frame tapped into the airline for the cab suspension air, we had an override switch mounted in the dash so he could manually dump the system we used a diode. off the back-up switch.
    You would only need an electric switch, on the dash a solinoid in the frame tapped into the suspension air supply hose.
    Just a thought!
     
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  6. sapo_trucker

    sapo_trucker Bobtail Member

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    Aug 5, 2013
    Texas Hill Country
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    Those are great ideas but I'd really like to be able to dump the air when I choose, not connected to the PTO etc. There are times when spreading gravel on a long flat road where I wouldn't want the bags dumped. It's great to dump the air when hooking up to a trailer or even during repair you know. Am I just being too picky?? How does the factory dump valves work? Aren't they just a manual valve on the dash? But where are they tied into to release air and also let the truck know not to continue filling the bags?
     
  7. DL550CAT

    DL550CAT Road Train Member

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    A dump valve for a trailer plumbed in after the leveling valve would work. Then it's just a matter of a switch in the dash and wiring power to it.
    The other option is to replace your leveling valve with one that is meant to dump and plumbing an air switch in. This would be the way I would do it. It might cost a bit more up front but you won't be replacing electric dump valves ever couple years.
     
  8. sapo_trucker

    sapo_trucker Bobtail Member

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    Aug 5, 2013
    Texas Hill Country
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    But as soon as the bags start going down wouldn't the auto level kick in and start trying to inflate the bags? So you would just have air constantly blowing out and draining the air tanks? Or am I not following you?
     
  9. DL550CAT

    DL550CAT Road Train Member

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    No. A trailer dump valve blocks the air coming from the leveling valve and dumps the air on the bag side. Spread axle trailers with rear axle dumps all set up this way.
     
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  10. sapo_trucker

    sapo_trucker Bobtail Member

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    Aug 5, 2013
    Texas Hill Country
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    I think that put me on the right track! I will be researching that- thanks!!
     
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